Museum of Royal Worcester
Severn Street
Worcester WR1 2ND
Tel: 01905 21247
Further contact details
We’re open:
Wednesday to Saturday 10am – 5pm
Sunday 10am – 4pm
Donations, however big or small, help us look after and create more remote access to the collections now and for the future. Donate below or find out more about how your donations can help.
There are other ways you can support us, from donating a pot, to leaving a legacy in your will. Other ways to support us.
In the depression years of the 1930s Royal Worcester faced ruin but their fortunes were revived through the commitment of the Managing Director Charles Dyson Perrins and the introduction of new popular styles. Many of these new ranges loved by the public were created by women modellers and the most popular of all were the children of Freda Doughty.
Over 40 years Freda created over 100 models of children for the factory – they were observed from life and were full of character and charm. Of these by far the most popular were Grandmother’s Dress and Boy with Parakeet – both modelled by Freda Doughty in 1935. In the tough post-war years of the 1950s it was said that sales of these two figures alone kept the factory going. They were painted in many different colours and crates of them were shipped all over the world – taking Royal Worcester into ordinary people’s homes and lives.
Many series were created, the most popular being children representing each month of the year and the days of the week. Freda also modelled appealing characters from Nursery Rhymes by Mother Goose and Alice in Wonderland. The painters of many of the early figures of children were skilled paintress Daisy Rea and her sister.
